


once i was a flight risk

by zozo



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: F/F, Femslash, Moving In Together, Post-Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-25 18:45:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18580396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zozo/pseuds/zozo
Summary: It's hard to ask someone to move in when you already live together.





	once i was a flight risk

#### Stardate Θ-73813±512 • 02:20 hours

Another espresso means she won’t sleep at all tonight. Sylvia Tilly looks down into her empty coffee cup and considers. She and Michael have been sleeping on different shifts for a week while _Discovery_ continues to recover from its battle with Control and trip to the future, and Tilly’s come to hate sleeping in an otherwise empty room.

On the other hand, they need her sharp in Engineering _and_ on the bridge. There may not be a Command Training Program anymore—they’re not sure yet if there’s a _Starfleet_ anymore—but given that _Discovery_ is running with a skeleton crew now, they need every able pair of hands.

She’s almost come down on the side of “no espresso, sleep with white noise on” when Keyla Detmer comes into the otherwise-empty mess hall. She sees Tilly and waves.

“You’re up late,” Keyla says as she comes up to Tilly and squeezes her in a brief hug.

“Yeah,” sighs Tilly. “Too wired to sleep. You okay?”

Keyla runs a hand through her hair. “All things considered? I am, yeah, I just… lot on my mind.”

That settles it for Tilly. “Well, lucky for you I was just about to have another coffee.”

She argues with the computer until it dispenses one more double espresso for her; Keyla orders a cup of chamomile tea. Even in the empty mess hall, they sit at their usual table.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Keyla smiles warmly at Tilly.

“I’m glad too. Now, tell Counselor Tilly what’s on your mind.”

“Now that we’re… here,” Keyla sighs, “and it’s just us… _Discovery_ feels even more like a family now, doesn’t it?”

Tilly nods, and takes Keyla’s hands across the table. “Absolutely we are.”

“So… Joann and I are still bunking together in junior officers' quarters. Which is great, she’s a terrific roommate. But there’s a lot of empty space on the ship now, and I’ve been thinking of moving to a bigger stateroom. Of, um, asking Joann if she wants to, you know. Move together.”

Tilly beams. “That’s great!”

“Do you think it’s too much? Or too soon? I don’t want to freak her out.”

“Keyla,” Tilly says slowly. “You already live together.”

“I know, but… maybe she’d want her own space.”

“Has she _said_ anything about wanting her own space?”

“…No.”

Tilly squeezes Keyla’s hands. “Because she likes living with you as much as you like living with her. _Ask._ ”

* * *

#### The next day

Saru taps his PADD to bring up the next duty report. Of all the idealized qualities expected in a Starfleet captain, he reflects, a supernatural tolerance for paperwork is too rarely mentioned.

The desk chair has been replaced with something more ergonomic for Kelpian anatomy, but otherwise the decor of the ready room is still mostly Captain Pike’s. Saru finds the reminder of his leadership comforting, and decides he’s in no hurry to change it.

The door chimes. Instantly grateful for the interruption, he rises from the desk and calls for the visitor to enter.

“Lieutenant Detmer,” Saru nods as she steps into the room.

“Captain,” says Detmer.

“ _Acting_ Captain,” Saru reminds her, but he’s had no luck with the rest of the crew and he doesn’t expect to have any luck with her.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important,” she says.

Saru smiles. “Important,” he says, “but not urgent. What can I do for you, Lieutenant?”

“Well, sir, I was hoping—thinking—I mean, thinking about asking permission to move to one of the open staterooms.”

Saru opens his hands. “Of course,” he says. “I don’t have the authority to promote you, but I can certainly provide you with larger living quarters, especially under the circumstances.”

“Thank you, sir,” says Detmer. “I also wanted to ask about, well. Bringing Lieutenant Owosekun with me.”

“Oh,” Saru says, and then, “ah. Should I also take this as my notification under Starfleet’s fraternization guidelines?”

Detmer blushes an infrared rainbow. Saru finds it endlessly endearing the way humans wear their emotions on their faces for any properly-visually-equipped being to read. “Can I get back to you on that, sir? I wanted to arrange things before I asked Joann—Lieutenant Owosekun. Sir.”

One of the many lessons Saru learned from Captain Pike was how to hold love for your crew in your heart without letting it overwhelm you. He feels a wave of affection for Detmer, and Owosekun, and the other 45 souls under his command, and sits with it a moment.

“Of course, Lieutenant. And—good luck.”

* * *

`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> Hey Jo`  
`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> Meet me in our room after shift?`  
`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> I have a surprise for you :)`  
`//TXT// **OwosekunJ** @DetmerK>> Ooooh, mysterious`  
`//TXT// **DetmerK** @OwosekunJ>> I think you’re going to love this one`

* * *

The door swooshes open and Keyla is standing in the middle of their quarters. There doesn’t seem to be anything special about her, or the room, but Keyla says “Surprise!” anyway, and Joann laughs fondly.

“What are you up to, flygirl?”

“I talked to Tilly, and I talked to Captain Saru, and I got us approval to move to one of the big suites on Deck 4.”

Joann’s eyes go wide. “The ones for married couples?”

“I, uh, I guess? Yeah?” Keyla turns red immediately. “The big staterooms. Anyway, if you want, we can move our stuff over whenever.”

Jo tilts her head. “I like it, but what else is on your mind?”

Keyla takes a deep, deep breath, then steps forward and takes Joann’s hands.

“We’re roommates because we got assigned as roommates, and I’m so happy we did, but… we don’t _need_ to live together anymore. I’m asking you… I’m saying… I want to live with you, like, on purpose. Together. Long term.”

Joann squeezes Keyla’s hands. “I love living with you. I would love that.”

The moment feels heavy, incomplete. Keyla’s eyes flick down to Joann’s mouth. She watches Joann lick her lips.

“Speaking of intentions,” Keyla starts, but Joann leans forward and stops her with a kiss.

“Those are _my_ intentions,” she says sweetly. “But please go on.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title from [“Lost in You”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfK7J4H3o7Y) by Emmy the Great.
> 
> Stop by my Tumblr, [discotreque](https://discotreque.tumblr.com), for all your Disco femslash needs.


End file.
